Documentation

Settings Explained

Enable ZIP Compression

When BackupBuddy creates a backup file this is always created as a ZIP archive format file. Whether or not the files that are included in the archive are compressed in size is an option and this setting enables you to choose whether or not files will be compressed when stored within the archive.

The choice of whether to use compression or not is based on a time/space trade-off: if files are compressed it takes longer to produce the archive but the archive will (in almost all cases) be smaller in size; where as if files are not compressed the archive takes less time to produce but will (in almost all cases) be larger.

The reason why a compressed archive takes longer to produce is of course because the mechanics of compressing files is processor intensive and slower than just copying file content from one place to another.

The reason why, just sometimes, an archive containing compressed files may be larger than one containing the same files in an uncompressed form is that some of the files on your site may already be in a compressed format - particularly media files - and trying to compress an already compressed file, aside from being very processor intensive, can result in a larger file.

The default for this setting is checked, meaning that compression is enabled - this is usually the best option for most sites as it gives a good balance between speed of producing the backup and the size of the backup file. Another reason why you might want compression enabled is if you have a large site which approaches the size limits of the standard ZIP archive file format - around 4GB. Provided that you have no time constraint in producing a backup file then enabling compression means that you will get your site into a zip archive which you might otherwise not do if the files were included without compression.

On the other hand, if you have time constraints on producing your backup then you might want to consider disabling compression so that the backup file may be produced faster but of course at the expense of being larger.

Another reason you might want to consider disabling compression is if you have a large number of media files on your site - which as explained, may already be in a compressed format. It is worth experimenting in this case, try a backup with compression enabled, see how long it takes and how large the backup file is. Then try a backup with compression disabled and again how long does it take and how large is it. By comparing the two and based on your requirements and any other constraints you can decide whether it is better to have compression enabled or disabled on that specific site.

Troubleshooting

Server Requirements & Recommendations

Server configuration is a very complex topic and varies wildly between hosts, server operating systems, and even the personal preference of the server administrator. Below are the bare minimum requirements for the plugin along with the recommended setup to get the most out of this plugin. You may use ServerBuddy to help you determine how your server compares to our minimum requirements & recommendations.

Importing on MAC may require modifications to default file permissions for the restoration directory. A work-around is being looked into.

Advanced F.A.Q.

How does scheduling work in BackupBuddy?

Schedules are inserted into the WordPress cron system and are executed once by the WordPress actions core at a time which you specify. The action will fire off when someone visits your WordPress site, if the schedule time has passed. A scheduled action cannot occur until someone visits after the scheduled time has passed.

My host blocks Linux command line zip and/or exec()

You can ask your host to allow this. The more people that do, the greater the chance they will do so. You can use this example of what to say:
"I am attempting to use a PHP script that uses Linux's command line ZIP executable to generate a zip file. It attempts to run the zip command via PHP's exec() function. However, the script is reporting that it is unable to do so. Is it possible to obtain access to this?"

If I override php.ini with my own, what options could I use?

Here are some recommended values for a custom php.ini:

max_execution_time = 300

memory_limit = 128M

disable_functions =

Does BackupBuddy migrate all links from the old URL to the new?

Yes, except for URLs hard-coded into .php or .html files. BackupBuddy does not alter files to avoid any problems. Under normal circumstances (and proper WordPress practices) you should never encounter this problem.

I dont understand databases!

Think of databases & database servers in terms of a filing cabinet analogy. The filing cabinet is the server. Within the server (filing cabinet) there are databases (drawers). Within the databases (drawers) there are folders (tables). Within the folders (tables) there are rows of data (the pages of paper).

BackupBuddy is leaving temporary files.

BackupBuddy automatically removed temporary files after approximately 12 hours. These files are left there temporarily to assure that remote destination transfers properly finish before the files are removed.

Version 1.3.x

Added a new compatibility mode (medium speed) to importbuddy for a total of three modes of operation: Full high speed (normal mode), medium speed (compatibility mode with ZipArchive), and low speed (compatibility mode with PCLZip).